By JOHN P. TRETBAR
Eagle Media
A new government report ranked the states on energy spending, and Kansas is #19.
The Energy Information Administration added up the total amount of money spent by end users on petroleum, electricity, natural gas and other fuels.
In the year 2023, the most expensive energy states were Alaska, Wyoming and North Dakota. Alaska residents spent an average of $12,000 each that year. Florida residents enjoyed the lowest energy expenses at about $3,700. Kansans spent more than $5,000.
Kansas operators discovered five new oil fields in Kansas in June and July. That's 14 new fields so far this year. The Kansas Geological Society recognized two new fields in Gove County, and one each in Graham, Logan and Sheridan counties.
Regulators okayed 20 new drilling locations in Kansas last week, with five new permits in western Kansas and 15 east of Wichita. Three of those are in Haskell County. That's at 478 permits so far this year, down from 664 last year at this time.
Operators in The Sunflower State completed nine wells last week. Five are east of Wichita and four are in western Kansas, including two wells in Barton County and one in Finney County. Independent Oil and Gas Service reports 801 completed wells so far this year, compared to 901 a year ago.
The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil and Gas Service is up 13 percent from a week ago, but down five percent from a month ago, and down 34 percent from a year ago. The tally west of Wichita this week is up two rigs to eleven.
The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows a decline of three gas rigs but an increase of one rig drilling for oil. The total in Texas is up one; North Dakota and Louisiana are each down one.
Media analysis of crude oil prices is all over the map. So are prices, but it's a smaller map.
Crude traders shrugged off "Russia supply fears" on Monday thanks to "India tariff uncertainty" on Tuesday.
NYMEX crude settled more than a dollar higher Monday, but held underneath a $65 ceiling established three weeks ago. Prices cascaded on Tuesday dropping two percent by lunchtime. Prices this month started within striking distance of $70 a barrel, but by the second week in August had dipped below $65 a barrel, where they remained for the last 16 trading sessions. Prices were flirting with 65 in New York after the holiday break on Tuesday.
India is reportedly curbing its sanctioned oil purchases from Iran and Russia, but China insists it will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve its national interest. The foreign ministry posted on social media that it won't respond to what it called coercion and pressuring, but will instead firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.
Reuters reports that oil shipments to China from Saudi Arabia are set to fall next month, down from a more than two-year high this month, after the state oil firm raised prices. Saudi Aramco will ship about 43 million barrels or 1.43 million barrels per day to China in September, down from 1.65 million in August.
The government reports lower pre-Labor Day gasoline prices than last year. EIA said the national average of $3.15 per gallon last week was 5% (or 17 cents per gallon) lower than at the same time last year. The government expects that to drop another 35 cents by December, driven by continuing growth in crude supplies.
The government American natural gas consumption is near an all-time high and will likely set a record this year. The Energy Information Administration predicts natural gas consumption will rise one percent to a record 91.4 billion cubic feet per day this year, then dip slightly next year.